With Jakub Dobes and Jacob Fowler within the organization and looking like the future, it felt almost certain that the Montreal Canadiens would trade Samuel Montembeault. However, they have remained patient, seemingly in an attempt to avoid just giving him away, and that patience could pay off.
On Thursday, the Columbus Blue Jackets announced that backup goalie Elvis Merzlikins underwent shoulder surgery recently. They didn't provide a timetable for when he might be able to return.
For the Blue Jackets, they already have Jet Greaves on the roster, and he is the clear starter after an excellent season, while Merzlikins was expected to be the backup. If Merzlikins misses any part of the regular season, then the Blue Jackets' option is Pheonix Copley, and that is why a trade for Montembeault could make sense.
Canadiens moving Sam Montembeault to the Blue Jackets could be a win for all parties
The Canadiens don't want to give Montembeault away, but they also should be aware that they won't be getting much in return. He is in the final year of his contract and is also coming off one of the worst seasons of his career. Montembeault began last season as the starter but lost the job to Dobes and finished with a save percentage of .873 and a goals against average of 3.43.
As a backup in Montreal, he probably won't be able to raise his value that much, which should convince Kent Hughes not to hold out for a bigger return. The best thing the Canadiens could get from a trade would be opening a roster spot for Jacob Fowler.
Meanwhile, Montembeault gets a chance to be the backup in Columbus to maybe help his value going into free agency next summer. The Blue Jackets would get a veteran to back up Greaves to begin the season.
Last year, Merzlikins had slightly better stats than Montembeault, but in the three seasons prior, Montembeault was the better goalie with a save percentage over .900 each season, while Merzlikins' best during that stretch was .897.
It remains to be seen just how long Merzlikins will be out, and that ultimately will determine if the Columbus Blue Jackets might explore trading for depth at the position. If Merzlikins is going to miss a significant part of the regular season, adding Samuel Montembeault would be a great move for Columbus.
For the Canadiens, they probably would be able to get more in a trade with the Blue Jackets than they might have if they traded him earlier in the summer. That would be a win for Kent Hughes while allowing Jacob Fowler to begin the season in the NHL.
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